Las Gallinas sewer board fills vacant seat after controversy

After receiving flak from the community for asking the Marin County Board of Supervisors to make an appointment for them, Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District board members Friday filled a vacant seat on the board.

Retired public works director Rabi Elias was chosen on a unanimous vote to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Larry Loder.

Earlier this month, sanitary district board members split 2-2 over who to appoint to fill the vacancy, and asked the supervisors to name someone to the post.

Supervisor Susan Adams said earlier this week that the board wanted to stay out of the district's appointment process. She attended the sewer district's regular board meeting Thursday.

"I went to their meeting and made a pitch to them, saying I'd hope they'd take one more shot at it," Adams said.

Nine people applied for the seat, which has a term ending in November. Had the district board been unable to make a decision, it would have had to spend $150,000 to $200,000 on a special election, said Susan McGuire, district administrative services manager.

Sewer board president Megan Clark said the board was ready to make a decision Friday, after hearing from the community.

"The main message I got was the outrage we couldn't reach an agreement," Clark said.

Board members went back and forth Friday, debating whether they should choose an engineer like Loder to fill the seat. Adams said she suggested someone like Loder be selected.

"To have somebody finish Larry's term with similar qualifications seemed a fair approach," Adams said, adding that ultimately any majority recommendation would be appreciated.

The board decided on Elias, and Adams said she couldn't be happier a decision was made.

Elias retired as San Anselmo's public works director in 2009. He was hired by the town in 1983 as an engineer and left in 1987 for a position with the town of Ross. He returned to lead the San Anselmo public works division in 2001 and spearheaded recovery efforts after the New Year's flood of 2005.

Because the district failed to make an appointment in its allotted time frame, Adams said the supervisors have to approve the decision.

"They're going to send their recommendation to our board, so our board can make the appointment on their behalf," Adams said.